“Attune yourself to the active inner guidance. The divine voice has the answer to every dilemma of life. Though man’s ingenuity for getting himself into trouble appears endless, the Infinite Succour is no less resourceful. ” — Lahiri Mahasaya
Bhakti Yoga is a real genuine search for the Lord, a search beginning, continuing, and ending in Love. One single moment of the madness of extreme love to God brings us eternal freedom. Bhakti, says Narada in his explanation of the Bhakti aphorisms, is intense love for God – when a man gets it, he loves all, hates none, and becomes satisfied forever. This love cannot be reduced to any earthly benefit because as long as worldly desires last, this kind of love does not come. Bhakti is greater than Karma, greater than Yoga, because these are intended for an object in view, while Bhakti is its own fruition, its own end.
The intense love for the Lord is termed Bhakti.
Forms and ceremonies, though necessary for the evolution of the soul, have no other value than taking us to that state in which feel the most intense love for God.
The concept of Unconditional Love is to love God for the sake of love, and not for seeking favours. When we love someone very deeply, unconditionally, with implicit trust and faith in his love, we do not care or question what he does with us. The same applies to our love for God.
We should not love God because of any fears. Love and fear are not compatible.
There can be no begging for love. If you say, “Lord, I love You, grant me my wishes; that is not love. If you want love, you must give it first. You cannot get love by just demanding it from someone. You must first give and then you will receive, and if you want God, you must learn to love Him. This love for God cannot be the selfish, personal, possessive love of ordinary relationships.
The constant remembrance of God is denoted by the word Bhakti, or intense love for God.
The one great advantage of Bhakti is that it is a natural and easy method to reach the Divine. This singleness of attachment to a love object without which no genuine love can grow can sometimes lead to a renunciation of everything else. Those who value the Divine pursuit as their ultimate goal are not attached to the fleeting interest of the mundane life and the gratification of the senses. To them, the love for God becomes the highest and only utility of human existence.
God is love. In the ultimate analysis, the highest truth is to love God and be One with Him. Once we find this Oneness with the Infinite Being, there are no desires, limitations, or queries. Above all, we must be in love with God.
You are all-pervading You are the Ultimate Truth The only Reality You are my Guiding Star My thoughts sublime You are the smile on my lips The twinkle in my eyes The warmth in my heart The gentle touch That makes everything alright You are my All So beautiful, so sublime You manifest yourself in different relationships But you are the ONLY LOVE of mine
-Meena Kapur
Meena Kapur is a practicing Psychotherapist. She has experienced the grace of Sai Baba in the most extreme health crisis. This story was documented in the film “Sai Baba visists his Devotee in the I.C.U.”